Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-07-23
Joshua True's Experiment.

JUSnuQ u w
.,rrcls- Joshua True ard Solomon
p.skip. lived in the double house on
Coa,r street. No roof is large enough
- oover .wu families SIN this case
,bsre were children. and the tenements
were not properly separated. The
TINES bad to enter the Baskins' part
N 90 down cellar; the BaskinS the
True's to 70 up stairs; one could always
r.ze ipio the kitchen; the other did
not pause. but was sure to leave the
cellar door open, which caused "hard
feelings" at times between the feml-
nine heads of the tribes. Aunt True,
who was Immediately neat was es-
peciallv tormented. The Baskinses
reyeled in her clean paths, turned her
front steps into a mud-pie bakery, and
,ven BABY Baskins lolled there when
h,s attire was most dsordered.
One would conclude that they be-
Iieyed in having "all things in COM
mon.r but Just let them see Bert True
6ll his pockets with their apples! Then
the shrill cry was:
.Thems ourn-you've took 'em from
our side!'
The diseusgcC that followed was so
persopal that it had to be silenced by
the parents, who did so from principle.
for each secretly inclined to ''our side.
Vncle true who suffered most. because
the Baskmses were most, said:
..Neichbor Baskins. children as
young as yourn has got to be
fenced off, stands 10 reason, adding
pacifcally, ''how be they agoing to
know wh ch is which.
.It ant all the children! put IN
Mrs. Baskns. Your wife didn't
know which was which when she used
ont o nv frkin o barberry sass all
Int wrier."'
SO the landlord divided them. from
the front gate to the double doors; from
the sstoops" in the rear straight
through the back yard. To be sure
there was in the True's cellar an open
Ing to a chimney that ran through
'rhe Baskins' part" but that seemed
then of no Importance, for it was never
used.
After the bones of contention were
equally portioued. both tribes frater
nized over the new back yard fence
Said Baskins with great decision:
just let ME know if any OF oul
young ones climb overt" Adding
"What's the good of a fence if it dom
mean nothing?"
This sentiment elected from Uncle
True a fervent That's so! And |
our Bert trespasses I'll be obleeged
you'll tell me!'
The children literally sat upon
that fence for hours. coveting forbidden
places II the Baskinses played ball |
was sure to fall upon Uncle True
green-surely it was boys nigh priv
lege to scale a fencer'
At last a Sabbath dawned that Uncl
True never forgot. Something's
thinks now was Satan himself-sud
denly prompted him TO stay at home.
'Guess | won't go to meetin' to-day
Pamely," he said; I'm feelin' littl
slim;" fayorite expression. althoug
he was very stout. You and Bert .
and I'LL up the pew"
Bert's health also had declined sint
Saturday; so he demurred. and W;
sternly rebuked by his father. Mr.
True also hung back, saving she W,
not myself" but Uncle True persis
ed in thinking she was. and his chose
representative.
Because | let up once in awhile it
no reason everybody else should
Said Uncle True. 1--we got to watC
the place; 'tother part'll be empty
MIS- 'Baskins has taken the baby to b
mothers and the rest are goin'
meetin' :"
IL took much urging to start UnC
True family off without him.
'Strange can't stay to home on
without working so hard for it,"
muttered as he elongated himself l
on the sitting-room lounge. BE
bout rs cheap to have shaved up a
gone. too"
But even now, dispete the quiet. q
Gle True could not rest. He went il
the yard, scarcely knowing what to
with the sacred hour. He wall
slowly down the little path. paused
soiemnly inspect the upspringi
lettuce. pondered before the hennery
the inmates We're alarmed at the unu
= al attention, fingered in meditat
sweet over the pigpen until
occupant rose from his Sabbeth
and approached him with an in
rogative grunt
Suddenly something like a sr
black cloud came between him and
sun; Uncle True started guilty.
nature about to punish him for evad
religious privileges? Then he
that II was swarm of bees hove,
directly over his bald pate! Uncle I
covered it with both hands and fe,
Ne house. Like living ball they h